Everyone at MHS is too worried nowadays.

School work, standardized tests, and the general pressures of high school cause stress in our lives.

Even our much beloved cell phones do.

My solution: just live in the moment, people.

It sounds pretty simple, but for our fast-paced, ever technologically advancing generation, it may not be that simple.

One great way to start is to put down your phones.

A British study found as smartphone use increased, stress levels related to smartphone usage did too. The instant gratification we love so dearly is actually the culprit of heightened stress, as there is a correlation between social smartphone use and increased anxiety levels.

I’m not saying we have to abandon our smartphones and social media outlets; that’d be silly, especially in today’s society. I am suggesting that we find a balance between smartphone usage and our personal lives.

Setting your phone aside will allow you to enjoy the adventure of life. Instead of constantly texting, you can a have a true conversation. You can go out and enjoy yourself and the company of your friends. You can discover the fun places and great people of St. Louis.

I know putting smartphones away and having a real conversation sounds old school but doing so allows you to live in the moment and draw joy from the small wonderful parts of life rather than constantly checking your Twitter feed.

It also allows you to remove stress from your life caused by constantly checking your feeds and messages. Living in the moment for even part of the time may just liberate you from unnecessary stress.

As high schoolers, we have a lot to worry about. The smartphones we turn to for better social interaction shouldn’t be stressors.

Let’s make a change MHS. It’s time to put down our phones and start living in the moment.